LONDON

Western approves funding for 13 pandemic research projects

Justin Zadorsky CTVNewsLondon.ca Web Writer

Published Thursday, May 14, 2020 9:31AM EDT

Scientists at Immuno Precise Antibodies Laboratories in Victoria have been researching COVID-19 since early February: (Immuno Precise Antibodies Laboratories)

Text:

LONDON, ONT -- Western University is providing funding for 13 pandemic related research projects aimed at helping with resilience and recovery in the coming months and years.

In April the university launched the million dollar Research Western Catalyst Grant: Surviving Pandemics initiative and looked to identify projects with the potential for long-term impact.

“This investment in our research community will support work that improves the world we live in and help us move beyond this, and future, pandemics,” said Sarah Prichard, Acting Vice-President (Research).

So far 13 projects have been approved for funding:

Robert Bartha, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Long-term neurologic effects of severe COVID-19 illness, $49,500;
Lauren Cipriano, Ivey Business School, Dynamic epidemic modelling of COVID-19 for local and regional critical care capacity, $49,750;
Giovanni Fanchini, Science, Manufacturing of autoclavable and reusable graphene-enhanced N95-grade respirator masks from Western nanofiltration technology, $49,750;
Jason Gilliland, Social Science, Food Retail Environment Surveillance for Health & Economic Resiliency: The FRESHER Futures Project, $48,187;
David Holdsworth, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Emergency ventilator system using additive manufacturing, $49,700;
Jed Long, Social Science, COVID-19 rapid response mapping of human-mobility indicators, $49,908;
Elysee Nouvet, Health Sciences, At the front of the front-Line: Ontario paramedics’ experiences of risk, safety, and adapted patient care protocols during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, $43,096;
Bridget Ryan, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Developing best practice guidelines for family physician virtual visits during pandemics, $50,000;
Jacob Shelley, Law, Ethical, legal, and policy dimensions of scaling back social distancing and restrictive public health measures for the COVID-19 pandemic, $49,664;
Martin Stillman, Science, Does zinc crosslinking in ACE2 control COVID-19 spike binding?, $46,800;
Saverio Stranges, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The development and implementation of a real-time geospatial surveillance portal to monitor the spread of epidemics and pandemics in local communities, $50,000;
Nadine Wathen, Information & Media Studies, Violence against women services: What can COVID-19 teach us, and are we willing to learn?, $48,363; and
Lloy Wylie, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Pandemic partnership or colonial calamity? First Nations health systems during COVID-19, $49,990.